1. thesundaymail.com.au 55
AGENDA
David Penberthy
Plumbing
new depths
in debate
P61
High drama
Perfect one day: Queensland’s
tourism industry has been hit hard
and closure of the Couran Cove
Island Resort is just the latest blow.
The Aussie dollar is on a roll against the once mighty
greenback. It’s crashed through parity and may hit $1.50.
But that doesn’t mean everyone in Queensland is happy
THE turbocharged Australian dollar Quiggan said. ‘‘There is nothing to annual $10 billion should the dollar currencies were pegged to the US
will remain at near-record highs for say that these conditions won’t per- remain at current levels for a long dollar, making a trip to Australia far
years, say experts, but not all sist for some years to come,’’ he said. period. more expensive than to Europe or
Queenslanders are celebrating. Among those hardest hit are Closure of the Couran Cove Island the US.
While shoppers take advantage of Queensland tourism operators strug- Resort on South Stradbroke Island The exchange rate has also left
the dazzling climb of the Aussie gling to compete with low-cost hol- after 13 years of business is the latest tourism operators in flagship holiday
dollar by snapping up online bargains iday destinations in Bali, Thailand blow for the embattled industry. location The Whitsundays struggling
and booking trips to exotic overseas and Fiji. It comes as Gold Coast tourism to attract visitors.
locations, a string of local industries KELMENY FRASER Tourism and Transport Industry operators brace for a drop in Middle Tourism operators in the region
have been left struggling to limit the figures show an 18 per cent fall in East tourists this winter. have reported a drop in visitors of up
hip-pocket pain. Consumer affairs visitor arrivals at Brisbane airport in The exchange rate and a shift in to 35 per cent compared with this
Shrinking numbers of overseas the year to March compared with the the Islamic month of Ramadan, time last year.
tourists, a surge in Australian previous 12 months. which has shortened this year’s The location lies on the doorstep of
holidaymakers all making a beeline brunt as the dollar continues to sit In the same period, the number traditional holiday season, have been central Queensland’s booming min-
for international airports, the soaring above parity, at $US1.06. of Australians heading overseas blamed. ing scene, which has helped fuel the
popularity of online shopping, cheap University of Queensland econ- grew by 9 per cent. Up to 18,000 tourists usually flock rise of the dollar.
imports and a growing black hole for omist John Quiggan said it would be The tourism group’s latest forecast to the Coast to escape searing ‘‘What we have here is the classic
exporters struggling to compete with years before it dropped back to a warns that more than 19 million more temperatures at home. example of the two-speed economy
cheap imports have left local busi- lower rate. Australians will fly out than visitors Lawand Tourism managing direc- and we are living it,’’ Whitsundays
nesses reeling. ‘‘Over the last year we have had a will fly in during the next decade. tor Toufic Lawand, one of the biggest tourism operator Adrian Bram
Farmers, tourism operators and noticeable jump over the top of a long It predicts the national deficit for agents for Middle East trips on the said.
local manufacturers are bearing the rise over a decade or more,’’ Mr the industry will blow out to an Gold Coast, said Middle East Continued Page 56
JUNE 5 2011 Page 55
ST